Strings
by kage kitsune 14
Summary: This is a spin off series of drabbles for my other One Piece story Strings Attached. The drabbles are based mostly off my OC Hikari. This will be mostly Nakamaship though you could with a bit of imagination take them as something else.
1. Braid

"Ouch. Ouch. Ouch."

Combing the twigs and leaves out of my hair was going nowhere fast. My shoulder length red hair was currently harder to set right then a Rubix Cube.

"Hikari?" Usopp's voice sounded from the doorway to the girl's quarters on the Going Merry.

Comb stuck firmly in my hair, I turned to look at him.

"What are you doing?" He asked, both his voice and face undeniably amused with my predicament.

"Getting the twigs and leaves out of my hair." I glared at him. He knew what I was doing and he was laughing at my misfortune.

"Give it here." he ordered holding out a hand as he moved so he was behind me. I yanked the comb from my hair harshly bringing tears of pain to my eyes. I handed it over and turned to face forward so he had better access to my hair.

Usopp gently picked through my hair, using nimble fingers to coax some of the larger twigs and leaves out. Then he started combing. He started at the bottom inch or so of hair and slowly cleared it first. Then he moved to the next inch up.

After about an hour of steady work my hair was clear and Usopp had a small pile of twigs and leaves.

Before I could stand up he expertly separated my hair into three parts and started to weave them together. He finished within two minutes and used a rubber band to keep the hair in its new position.

"I didn't know you could braid." I mused out loud, trailing my fingers along the braid. I couldn't braid my own hair.

"I used to do my mother's for her." Usopp answered and I could practically hear the nostalgic smile he wore.

I whirled around and threw my arms around Usopp's neck in a friendly hug.

"Thank you, Usopp!"

He hesitated for only a second before wrapping his arms around my waist, returning the hug.

"No problem, Hikari."

**A/n: So...**

**I decided to do a series of drabbles that take place in the Strings Attached verse. This first one was just a bit of Nakamaship between my OC Hikari and Usopp.**

**Tell me what you guys think please!**


	2. Bandage

I was mentally swearing about what sort of retard tries to block a sword with their bare hand, and then having to remind myself that I had just done so.

It had been a small skirmish for our crew. Unfortunately, as I had predicted a couple of people had come after me instead of just one because of my bounty. They had also been fairly proficient at working together, which was odd for bounty hunters. I had just defeated the first one with a well placed kick to the nuts when I sensed the second one's sword coming toward my head. I had two choices. Catch the blade or let it hit me. I had obviously chose to catch the blade.

While my opponent was stunned by the sheer stupidity of my actions, I nailed him in the nuts with a front snap kick then kicked his head to be sure he was unconscious. And, maybe, as a little bit of anger management. Just maybe though. I was still silently arguing with myself that it was necessary and because it was necessary it wasn't revenge.

I was currently struggling to wrap a clean bandage around my right palm using only my left palm which wasn't going very well. Especially considering I was right handed and the blood sliding down my right hand was getting all of the bandages dirty, damn it.

I growled at myself as I tried to use my mouth to tie the knot on the bandage only to get my hair stuck in the knot and have to undo it or lose some of my hair.

"Oi! Hikari! Ero-cook says we can't eat until you come to the table." Zoro called from outside of the bathroom door. I had been in the bathroom for the past half hour struggling to bandage my hand.

I opened my mouth to reply only to drop the bandage end once more and swore softly under my breath.

"I'll be out in a few minutes!" I called back before going back to swearing under my breath. Why did it have to be so goddamn hard to bandage oneself?

"Are you alright?" Zoro asked, sounding worried.

"Fine!" I snapped back, immediately feeling guilty afterwards. He was only concerned about me.

"I'll wait for you to come out." Zoro stated.

No! Damn it. I was having a hard enough time bandaging myself without worrying about him hearing the ruckus I made attempting to tie the bandage off.

"You can go back to dinner." I tried to convince him.

"Ero-cook won't let us eat until you're there anyway." Zoro answered lazily.

Goddamn Sanji. He was a sweetheart really but he treated women like they were invalids and couldn't do anything themselves.

I swore loudly as I slipped in the puddle of blood that had formed under my feet due to my bleeding hand. Then following the swearing was a loud crash as I hit the ground then the First Aid kit fell on my head.

"Hikari?!"

"I'm fine!" I tried to say but the words barely came out.

"I'm coming in." He warned.

"No!" But it was too late he had already opened the door.

Zoro stared at the scene for several seconds before swearing himself and crossing the gap between us in two long strides. He picked me up easily as if I weighed no more than a book, and set me down on the sink. Then he bent down and swiped the First Aid kit up swiftly and deposited it beside me.

With a critical eye he unwrapped my hand and ran water over the whole hand before grabbing a fresh roll of bandages. He wrapped my hand with a practiced air, as if he did so all the time. Then he quickly tied it off and cleaned up the bloody bandages and First Aid supplies without a word.

"So how'd you get a cut like that?" he asked using a washcloth to wipe up the small puddle of blood off the floor that had been caused by my bloody hand.

"Goddamn assholes ganged up on me. I told Luffy I had no special skills that would help me if someone came after my bounty, but he completely ignored me." I huffed crossing my arms, while gingerly avoiding brushing my hand across my chest.

"I'll teach you to use a sword." Zoro grunted. "It will at least let you have the benefit of reach until you learn your magic trick."

"It isn't magic. Anyone could learn it. Unless they were trying to learn the last type. Only one of a million carry it. That one's called Haoshoku Haki. It's also known as Color of the Supreme King and Conqueror's Haki. Only a few people were known to use it, like Silvers Rayleigh, the Dark King. I'm not sure I even have it. It's extremely rare. I'm getting better at Kenbunshoku Haki though. That's the one where you sense what's coming towards you. I really can't wait to learn Busoshoku Haki though. I could've blocked that sword without even a scratch if I knew how to use it." I rambled.

Zoro chuckled before picking me up of the sink and setting me on my feet.

"Alright, alright. It's not magic." his laughter ruined the apology though. "Let's go eat before Luffy manages to get around Swirly Brow." he said pushing me gently towards the door.

"Zoro?" I asked turning to look at him.

"Yeah?"

Before he could react I had my arms around his chest then I was running down the hall. "Thanks!" I called back over my shoulder.

There was a second's pause before he realized what happened and chased after me.

**A/n: Another Nakamaship drabble. I think I did alright on this one. Tell me what you think!**


	3. Breakfast

Yawning, I stumbled my way into the galley and stomped around as quietly as I could pulling out a packet of hot chocolate and put the kettle of water on the stove. I needed caffeine. It was my turn to do the Midnight to Dawn watch. Usopp had just woken me up minutes ago, but he had instantly crashed into his hammock as soon as he knew I was awake.

I didn't blame him.

I whipped the kettle off the stove as soon as it started to whistle hoping I hadn't woken anyone with the obnoxious noise. I held my breath for several beats listening to the sound of my nakama snoring loudly. They were still asleep, good. I poured the hot water over the chocolate powder and mixed it lethargically as I turned to go up to the bird's nest.

Only to nearly have a heart attack as I faced a bare, blonde haired chest.

"Good god, Sanji. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" I asked as I took a step back barely managing to avoid jumping and spilling my hot chocolate all over me.

"Sorry Hikari-hime. I thought Luffy was sneaking in the kitchen again."

"Why didn't you just check and see if he was in his hammock then?" I asked exasperatedly.

Sanji shrugged his bare shoulders and I was distracted for a second before reminding myself he chain smoked and I didn't like smokers.

I glared at him.

"How can I make it up to you?" he asked a charming smile spreading over his face. He looked much more charming than usual. Probably because he was shirtless and he didn't have a cigarette in his mouth.

"Chocolate chip pancakes, and hashbrowns." I answered instantly.

He stared at me for a second blinking slowly, before registering what I had said. "Of course, Hikari-hime!" He cooed eagerly.

I rolled my eyes. I had asked him to stop calling me Hikari-chan then he goes and calls me Hikari-hime. At least he wasn't after me as much as he was Nami. I think Nami was his kind of girl, one that actually flirts back. Don't get me wrong, Sanji's extremely attractive, but the smoking and sexism sort of turns me off.

"Alright. I'm going up for my watch. You should go back to bed or you'll sleep in tomorrow and I won't get my pancakes and hashbrowns." I ordered.

"Yes, Hikari-hime!" Sanji cooed as he quickly marched back to his room.

I smiled indulgently as I took a sip of my hot chocolate on my way to the bird's nest. It took me a few minutes of careful maneuvering to make it to the nest with my hot chocolate intact and I plopped down and took to scanning the darkness. The moon was nearly full so it was easier to see than it would've been if it was a new moon. I had gotten a shift on a new moon a while ago and I had been straining to even see the ocean let alone anything on it.

I spent the rest of the night sipping on the hot chocolate and scanning the ocean's surface looking for anything we needed to worry about.

I saw Sanji get up to work in the galley and figured it was nearly dawn. Sanji always had breakfast ready by dawn, which coincidentally was when Luffy got up to eat. Everyone else learned to wake early due to Luffy's rubber stomach. Sanji didn't really care all that much about the guys and if they missed a meal because they slept in then they missed a meal. I always noticed Sanji made an especially big lunch if someone missed breakfast though.

Zoro was up at dawn and started his normal routine. I still gaped in awe no matter how many times I saw him swing around his huge weights like they weighed no more than a sword.

I felt my eyes droop so I carefully climbed down from the bird's nest and slipped into the galley. I sat in my usual seat and laid my head down on my crossed arms.

Sanji would wake me when the food was done. I was confident in that.


	4. Homesick

Tears slid down my face in two steady streams. I didn't know why it hit me now. Why I was suddenly so homesick I felt like my heart was going to fall right out of my chest, it felt like it was made of lead and not muscle cells.

I felt my breathing catch harshly in my throat. I pushed the sobs down. I didn't want to disturb the rest of the crew. I didn't want them to feel like I didn't like it here. I did. I loved it here. But I missed my family. My dad, my brothers, hell even my mom. I missed them all so much. I had gone home every weekend while I was in college and now it had been weeks since I had seen them.

What did they think happened to me?

Was I just another missing teen?

Or had I died in some mysterious way that had "destroyed" my body?

Was I just another statistic?

A stupid girl who went drinking underage and went home with a strange guy and never came back?

I had no clue what they thought happened. I was almost positive they wouldn't believe me stupid enough to go home with a stranger after underage drinking. I still haven't had any alcohol and I was part of a pirate crew. It was practically required to drink.

It was my turn on watch once more. I had been up since six in the morning. I had the shift that went from around 6 pm until Midnight. It was about eight now.

I felt a miserable whimper escape my throat. I wouldn't let anything louder than that go. My shoulders shook with my silent sobs and I buried my face in my knees.

"Hikari?" Luffy's worried voice caught my attention.

My head snapped up and l looked at him through my tear hazed vision.

His face was unusually serious. "Are you okay?"

I stared at him for a moment before shaking my head negatively.

"M'here." He ordered holding his arms out wide. I sat stunned for a second before bolting over to his arms. I buried my face in his shoulder and his arms wrapped around my waist, hugging me to his chest tightly. I shuddered with the force of my sobs as I clung to Luffy like he was a lifeline and I was out at sea with nothing else in sight. Which was ironic considering Luffy sunk like a hammer in the sea.

He rocked back and forth gently, rocking me with him.

My sobs continued rattling my frame as well as his, until, eyes sore, I closed my eyes and slipped into comforting unconsciousness.

**A/n: Another Nakamaship. **

**I didn't know how to end it so I figured I'd leave it there. If anyone wants to give me a prompt I'll try to do a chapter on it. :D**

**Please review! Even just a smiley face to let me know you're reading!**


	5. Cooking

One of the few times I liked being around Sanji was when he didn't know I was around and he was cooking.

Sanji would drop just about anything for any of the women on the crew and it drove me nuts. It's like we had a hold of his balls and were squeezing them threateningly whenever he saw us. He'd run to do our bidding like we were going to crush his balls if he didn't. And it pissed me off.

But, I loved watching Sanji cook.

He looked peaceful, content, focused, like he couldn't belong anywhere else but in the kitchen. His eyes were devoid of that stupid heart and he had an unlit cigarette in his mouth. One of the few times he didn't smoke was when he was cooking. And he moved like a dancer, lithe, balanced, graceful.

He danced around the kitchen smoothly. Switching from one dish to the next. Pausing to taste something and add a dash more of a spice or another before going to another dish and doing the same. It was like watching the intricate inner working of some sort of well oiled machine. The moves flowed together like it was one huge move instead of a series of motions.

"Cook-watching again, Hikari?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin at Zoro's sudden question.

"Shhh! Don't let him know I'm here. He'll go all heart-eyed again. It's not natural. It's like all girls have his balls in a vise grip and are threatening to destroy them if he doesn't bend to our every whim." I hissed back.

"Why do you like watching the ero-cook anyway?" Zoro snorts.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I like being around him when he doesn't realize I'm around, you know what I mean? He doesn't go all heart-eyed and twitterpated." I made a gesture with my hand, almost to say look there.

"Twitterpated?" Zoro snorts loudly at that.

"Love-sick. Infatuated. Googily-eyed. Smitten. Love-struck. Whatever you wanna call it."

"Sounds like him." Zoro stated.

"I know. Now shut up so I can cook-watch without him going googily-eyed over me." I hissed.

I turned to do just that only to realize the food had been pulled off the burners and Sanji was no where to be seen.

"Hey Zoro? Did you see where Sanji went?" I turned to look at Zoro but he was gone and Sanji was standing there with his arms crossed lazily puffing on a cigarette.

Crap.

"So you don't like when I go all, what did you call it? Oh yeah, heart-eyed over you?"

I winced at that. When he said it that way it sounded harsh and mean. I hadn't meant it to be rude.

"Um, well, uh, it's just that, ah..." I struggled to find a way to nicely let him down.

"Yes?" A swirly eyebrow was raised.

"You're so fake when you're around us. You go all lovey-dovey and act like a complete idiot. Come on, Sanji. I know you're smart. You're an awesome cook. You've got good looks. It's just you're so fake when you're around girls. It seems like it's a chore to be around us. So I like watching you when you aren't around us. You're much more natural. I feel like I get to see the real you."

Sanji gaped. An unusual and unflattering expression. Especially when faced with a female.

While he was distracted I decided it was time to vanish.

**A/n: I had this one mostly written up for a while but I had no clue how to end them until now. **

**It's still just nakamaship. Sorry Sanji lovers. Hikari hates smoking, if you didn't notice so that probably won't happen...**

**Give me a prompt and I'll try to see if I can write a drabble off it. :D**


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